Hate Mail
by hkb24
Summary: Hopefully this will make you think twice about typing hate intended for Stephanie, or encourage you to stick up for her when you see hate being sent her way. She's only a human, just like you.


p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Hold on, give me a couple seconds. I just want to post this picture…" Stephanie scrolls through the apps on her phone until she finds Instagram, opening up the app and watching as her notifications pop up. Thousands of likes and comments and follows. She glances over her shoulder, watching as Paul buttons up his dress shirt in a rush./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""We won't be late. We have plenty of time," she assures her husband. He sighs, slinging his patterned tie around his neck and leaving it untied. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I guess you're right," he shrugs, undoing the top couple of buttons on his dress shirt and rubbing his eyes./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Stephanie sets down her phone on the table beside her half of the bed, standing up and turning to face him. "You alright?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He dismisses her worry with a wave of his hand. "Tired."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"She watches as he sits down on the bed beside her, his palm finding the small of her back. While Paul sits in a pair of slacks and a crisp button-down, Stephanie still dons the shirt of his she wore to bed last night. "I feel extremely under-dressed compared to you," she chuckles, and he gives her a smile. "I guess I did get ready a bit early."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"They're scheduled to arrive at a board meeting in about an hour. Stephanie glances at the time on her phone, then sighs./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Yeah, well you don't take near as much time as I do to get ready. I suppose I should start soon." She flops back dramatically on the bed as she lets out a yawn. "I just have no motivation," she groans./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Paul's mouth curves up into a mischievous grin. He turns over and places one arm on either side of his wife's body, crawling over top of her and holding himself up so that he can look down at her smiling face./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Now you really don't want me to get ready," she giggles, eyes sparkling. He can't help but to laugh, lowering himself near her face and planting a quick kiss on her lips./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I still have to do my hair, makeup, get dressed…" she reminds him, taking his cheeks into her hands and brushing her fingers up against the scruff lining his jaw./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He sighs, standing up reluctantly. "Fine." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Sorry. Being a woman is tough stuff," she frowns, running a hand through her hair as she walks towards the bathroom./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Hey. It's just as hard being a man," he protests, the traces of a grin on his lips. And, with that, Stephanie shakes her head with a smile and disappears into the bathroom. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align: center;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"- - - - -/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What time is it now?" Paul yawns, eyes momentarily closing before he focuses on the road again. His hands grip the steering wheel tighter as he sees the lights through the windshield blurring in his vision./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Stephanie finds herself yawning as well from the passenger's seat. "Quarter 'til eleven."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Jesus Christ," Paul mutters, turning down the radio a little and easing the car to a stop as he reaches a red light. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""We're going straight to bed when we get home," Stephanie assures him, tilting her head back on the seat and closing her tired eyes./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Paul glances over at her as his foot presses down on the pedal, slowing down for a second to reach for her hand. She opens her eyes, intertwining her fingers with his. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You alright?" he asks, and she replies with his earlier answer: "Tired." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He gives her hand a squeeze and eventually pulls into their driveway. As they walk through the front door, they are, for once, not bombarded by squealing little girls. The big house is almost eerily quiet with the pair's daughters staying at Stephanie's parents' house for the night./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Paul's hand remains on his wife's back as they walk to their bedroom together. Stephanie washes off her face in the bathroom and throws her curls up into a bun, then changes into pajamas. She hears Paul climbing into bed and flipping on the television, and she emerges into the bedroom to see him in pajamas as well. "Anything interesting on?" she asks as she retrieves her cell phone from the clutch she carried tonight, which sits on the dresser facing the bed./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"He shakes his head, setting down the remote. Stephanie climbs onto the mattress beside him, sighing as she unlocks her phone./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I forgot to post that picture earlier today," Stephanie frowns at her screen, opening up Instagram again./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What picture babe?" Paul asks absentmindedly from beside her. His voice is raspy, and his eyelids are heavy with exhaustion. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Stephanie goes to tap the post composition option, but freezes once her notifications appear once more. She stares at her screen momentarily before her curiosity gets the best of her. She taps her notifications and begins to scroll the comments on her most recent picture: her three daughters. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Paul turns his head to look at his wife as he hears her silence. He watches as her eyes study the screen closely, her lips pursing together. Her nose wrinkles up. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Steph?" he asks./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Now, Stephanie knows about the social media's reaction to her character on screen. She knows she's widely hated and is a successful heel at that. That's just her job. Since joining Instagram, this is the first time she's actually read the comments on her photos. Just like on twitter, she always ignores the responses. Besides, she doesn't pay mind to hate anyways. She knows who she is and that she doesn't deserve all of these remarks. But… for some reason, she can't make herself close out of the app. She continues reading the comments. And, she can't help but to feel her heart beating faster in her chest./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Stephanie." Paul's voice finally breaks through her trance. She turns to look at him./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I…" She stammers, unable to form words. "You should see the things people are saying about me on here." She tries to laugh off her growing pain. "People are nuts." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Paul shakes his head. "Oh, I know. Why don't we go to bed?" He continues looking at her as he awaits her response, but Stephanie only continues reading the comments littering her pictures./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Steph. Stop looking at that shit. You're better than that," Paul reminds her, placing a hand on her shoulder. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Stephanie bites down on her lip as she embraces the pain settling in her chest. She's hurt. She hates to admit it, but she's genuinely hurt by these comments. She knew the social media's reaction to her character would be bad, but she never imagined something like this. Targeting her personal life, her as a human being. Her family./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Look at this one," she turns towards her husband, handing him her iPhone. The comment reads: "Your family should be ashamed to have someone as spoiled and bitchy in it as you. I would hate to be your daughters. Rot in hell." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Stephanie scolds herself as tears prick her eyes. "And this one," she points to the comment underneath the last one, reading: "How does Vince even put up with your ass? I would've thrown you out on the street when you were a kid. Surprised your husband hasn't filed for divorce yet."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Why would they say that?" Stephanie's voice breaks, grabbing her husband's attention. He locks her phone, watching as she wipes her eyes. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Steph, don't," Paul pulls her into an embrace, resting her head on his chest as she sniffles. He caresses her hair, feeling genuine sympathy for his wife. Not every woman can deal with the stress and responsibilities she does daily, and the media is finally getting to her. Never would he think this would happen./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm sorry," she murmurs, concealing her sobs with heavy breaths./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You're alright. You just need to block all of that bullshit out. If it's just going to bring you down, pay no attention to it. We both know what a great person you are. Most people do. And, if they don't… it's their loss. They're missing out on a hell of a woman. You can post your picture tomorrow… I think what we both need is some sleep." Paul waits for Stephanie to pull away from his chest. Once she does, she looks at him with bleary, watery eyes. His heart breaks at the sight of his wife so weak, and he lays back with her held close to him. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I promise we can talk about this tomorrow," he assures her, reaching over and flipping off the overhead light until darkness entraps the room. Although Paul falls asleep in an instant, Stephanie lay still with the worst feeling in her stomach./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"In effect of the things she's read tonight, she momentarily doesn't like herself, either. /span/p 


End file.
